


Forgiveness

by waterbird13



Series: Tumblr Fics [68]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: AU, Forgiveness, Forgiveness takes time, M/M, Post Civil War, Therapy, pre winteriron
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-22
Updated: 2016-07-22
Packaged: 2018-07-26 02:56:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7557385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/waterbird13/pseuds/waterbird13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bucky decides not to put himself back into cryo, instead opting to turn himself in to Tony. Expecting to die, he's a little surprised when Tony invites him in to dinner.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is another two-part fic I'm moving over from Tumblr. 
> 
> Warnings: PTSD and trauma are discussed but not super specific, Bucky does vaguely think he's going to die. They talk about therapy. It's AU after Civil War.

T'Challa lets him go without getting in his way, which is more than can be said for Steve. Bucky probably wouldn’t have made it out of Wakanda if T'Challa didn’t interfere.

It’s true what he said, though. He remembers all of them. And he needs to pay for that.

The Avengers Facility looks deserted. He’s been before, watching Steve while his memories were coming back, and then it had teamed with life. Now most of the place is dark, only a few scattered lights on.

He still rings the front doorbell. It seems ridiculous at this point, the politeness, like it will help him at the end. But he wants Stark and the others to know that this isn’t an attack. He doesn’t mean anything malicious by being here. Just the opposite.

The android opens it, looking at him curiously. “Sergeant Barnes,” he says.

“Am I still a Sergeant?” Bucky asks absently, before re-focusing. “I’m here to talk to Mr. Stark. Please. I promise, nothin’ funny.”

“Better not be,” another voice says, and Bucky looks up. War Machine, he thinks. Rhodes. He doesn’t have the suit and his gait is careful and slow, but his arms crossed against his strong chest and his scowl tell Bucky he would be a dangerous foe if he chose to be.

“I came back,” Bucky says.

“Why’s that?” Stark asks, walking in, pushing right through the others, like he isn’t scared of the assassin who nearly helped kill him a multitude of times recently. Who murdered his parents.

“Steve wants to fix me…but there ain’t no fixin’ me, is there?” Bucky asks, shrugging. “I’m…Zola would’ve called me bad code, maybe. Fucked in the head. I did that shit and there’s no denyin’ it. So I’m turnin’ myself in.”

“To the UN?” Stark asks. “You were cleared of the bombings.”

Bucky shakes his head. “To you,” he says. “I figured, you can sort this out. You’re the Avengers, right?”

That makes Stark flinch a bit, and Bucky feels bad for that even if he has no idea where he went wrong.

And then Stark sighs. “Come on in,” he says, so Bucky steps inside with a fair amount of trepidation, even if he reminds himself that he chose this.

“I think there are leftovers?” Stark tries. “I mean, Vision cooked, so, more power to you, I haven’t tried it, but there should be some left.”

“You’ll find my cooking is improving,” Vision argues.

Stark snorts. “You don’t eat it, Viz, you have no idea. Now, c'mon. Super soldiers eat a lot, from what I remember. Let’s feed this guy.”

“What’s going on?” Bucky asks, eyes darting around.

Rhodes looks at him, amused. “You just got adopted by Tony. Enjoy,” he says.

“I…don’t get it,” Bucky admits.

“It’s like this, Robocop,” Stark chimes in, not turning around from his walk to what is presumably the kitchen. “I was pissed and almost killed you. Not my best moment. Bad moments happen when I’m, you know, surprised by watching my parents be murdered, knowing the hands that killed them are two feet away, and the guy on the other side, my friend, I thought, knew for years and didn’t say a word. Perfect storm of rage. But I’ve had time and I can think, and I regret it. Sure, I’m fucking pissed that what happened happened. My parents didn’t deserve to die and Steve’s an asshole to keep that from me. But I know it’s not your fault. So…do you want dinner or not?”

Bucky looks at him, long and hard. “What’re you going to do with me?” He challenges.

Stark tilts his head. “I was thinking dinner. Then let you choose a bedroom. Tomorrow morning we can talk about therapy, something like that. That was the plan from the beginning, you know. Get you someone to talk to. No one expects you to just walk away from HYDRA like you used to be.”

Bucky thinks, but it only takes a second. He did promise himself he’d come to take whatever Stark wanted him to. And this…it’s so obviously not what he expected, but it’s a good offer.

“Dinner sounds good,” he says.


	2. Chapter 2

Stark doesn’t sit near Bucky at the table. It takes Bucky a day or two to figure that out, but it’s obvious to him, once he realizes, that Stark sits as far away as possible.

And that’s really the primary time they see each other. Vision or Rhodes escort the therapist Stark found him in, and wait nearby, giving him an illusion of privacy and his therapist an illusion of security. Not that Bucky thinks his therapist is actually scared of him, because the woman is nearly as crazy as all the rest of them, determined to see good in him, but they are messing with some pretty violent triggers.

Bucky thinks he should get the hint, leave Stark alone if that’s what he wants. After all, Bucky has way more than he could ever have the right to expect. He’s alive. Not frozen. No one’s given him a single order. They feed him, right at dinner with the rest of them. They gave him a damn bedroom. No one pressures him about contacting Steve.

But he remembers that first night, Rhodes amusement, “you just got adopted by Tony.” Bucky had assumed that meant some level of attachment.

He’s a little surprised that the voice in the walls doesn’t even make an effort to keep him out of the workshop when he goes poking around. He assumed that, if Stark didn’t want him around, than he wouldn’t have access. Clearly, the assumption war wrong.

Stark’s there, front and center, with some kind of robot prodding at him. He turns when he hears Bucky. “I help you?” He asks, and Bucky can’t help but notice that he gets up and moves. Not a lot, but he’s maintaining distance.

“Why’d you let me stay?” Bucky asks.

“Haven’t we been through this?”

“You clearly don’t want me here. Are uncomfortable with me ‘round. Why’d you let me stay? You could’ve done anythin’ with me, I wouldn’t’ve objected. And you let me in.”

“That was the right thing to do,” Stark says firmly.

“Not for you.”

“Yes, for me. Look, am I uncomfortable? Not gonna lie, I have a lotta nightmares with your face. But that’s my issue to work through, not yours. You didn’t choose any of it. And I won’t punish you for it. I’ll get my own shit together.”

Stark turns to swat the robot away. “Go, coffee,” he instructs, watching it zoom away, shaking his head before turning back to Bucky. “You know Rhodey thinks your presence is a miracle? Got me to see a therapist. Nothing else’s ever made that happen before.”

Bucky hadn’t known, which Stark can clearly tell. He chuckles. “Yeah, well. Nightmares. Lingering…feelings. Feelings I don’t want. So. Therapy. See? Not your issue. I’m handling it.” He thinks for a moment. “I’m obviously making you uncomfortable…”

“So, what, you’ll be uncomfortable so I don’t have to be?” Bucky asks incredulously. “Do what you need to do, Stark. Giving me a place here is…far more than I ever could’ve asked for.”

“Considering you expected us to kill you or something,” Tony mutters. He sighs. “See, though? This? I think I could like you. You’re a good guy, Barnes. If I just didn’t…”

“So, time?” Bucky asks.

Tony nods shortly. “Yeah. Time. Therapy. You know. Slow exposure, probably. Scientifically sound, I’m sure, whatever. Anyways. You should probably call me Tony.”

“Huh?”

“You keep calling me Stark. Call me Tony. It’ll help.”

Bucky nods. He keeps his hands firmly by his side–a handshake is probably off the table–but he tries to smile. “Tony, then. You might want to call me Bucky. If you’re up for it.”

“Bucky,” Tony repeats.

Bucky doesn’t stay in the workshop much longer, but Tony doesn’t kick him out either. Bucky’s a patient person. He has to be, he’s a sniper. He can wait and wait and wait when he has to. He can wait, give Tony his time, his space, whatever else he needs. Let this be a good place for both of them.


End file.
